Alexandra Says Do Your Research
Your Name: Alexandra
Date Joined MK: 1/28/2008
When Left MK or Still Active?: Active
Initial Inventory Purchased: 2/11/2008
How were you recruited?: I actually called the lady who sold me Mary Kay about becoming a consultant. I love the products and wanted to share them.
Memorable experience you had in MK: My first sale, and the show parties I had.
What did you learn from MK?: I saw the good and bad points of Mary Kay. I learned how to have more confidence in myself and that I could put my mind to whatever I wanted to do. However I have seen an alarming trend in Mary Kay, of women lying, manipulating, and cheating just to attain a career car or an extra commision.
What are you doing now?: I work full time and sell MK part time.
Additional Comments:
I posted this in another post, but wanted to post it again for anybody reading the consultant stories. I researched for 2 months before I decided to try to sell MK. My research involved websites like Pink Truth, Associated Content and The Fraud Files. I read the comments and stories and made a very informed decision to sell the product. Based on my experiences and overall opinion, it seems that the real money is in just being a consultant. I started with $600 of initial inventory and by selling to women at work, show parties, and selling online, MK has more than supplemented my family income. However that is all it will ever be to me, a secondary income. My advice to everyone starting or thinking about starting MK is the following.
#1 RESEARCH everything. Go to websites like this one and especially Pink Truth and read what other women have experienced.
#2 TRY the product. MK is the only product that works on my overly sensitive face. That is one reason why it is so easy for me to be enthusiastic about selling it. If it works for you, you can market yourself as proof that the product works.
#2 BELIEVE in the product. If you think it is crap, then obviously you can’t sell crap.
#3 START SMALL. Don’t buy into the hype of “you must order thousands of inventory!” Think about who you know, where you work at, where you socialize at. If at all possible, ask your friends if they would honestly try MK. See what they would like to help you gauge exactly what to order.
#4 EDUCATE yourself on the products. My director, kaybot annoyance aside, knows these products, and she spent hours with me educating me on them.
#5 BE YOURSELF! Use your own script and words to sell. If you are your own boss, you should set your own expectations. If I’m doing parties I’m wearing something nice, but definitely not a dress!
#6 The absolute key to my success is this…DO NOT BUY INTO THE HYPE OF MOVING UP! The way I run my business clashes with my director because she wants to see me “move up in MK”. I’m not that stupid. Why should I spend all my time trying to recruit my customers, and possibly further alienate them? Why should I order a bunch of inventory my customers never buy and rack up credit card debt, just so that director can have extra money in her pocket? And who is suffering and broke…you. The scary thing is Mary Kay Ash started this company to enrich women, but in turn many of them have enriched themselves at the expense of those around us.
Lipstick on 
Ann on 
Brooke on 
Tam on 
Great summary Alexandra. I have found certain MK products work very well for my skin while others don’t. What works for me doesn’t always work for my friends and that’s okay. I try most of the products just to be familiar with them and know how well they do or don’t work firsthand. I used to use ALL MK products but have recently changed to Avon’s foundation and Cover Girl’s mascara because they work better for me. People need to know you can still “sell” MK and not have to use ALL of their products. Everyone’s skin is different. MK DOES NOT WORK for everyone. You also don’t have to attend all the silly girl meetings or conferences, neither do you have to move up in the company. If you sell enough great, if not so what?
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Words to live by…
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This is excellent advise and what I have been trying to advocate since I started posting on this site! Great words of wisdom!
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Great post! Hopefully the trend starts to move toward this way of working the biz. If ppl get the money out of their eyes and be realistic about this opportunity, then it CAN be a good thing. It has been for me so far.
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You can do the research, but you will be hard pressed to avoid the deliberate emotional tactics and sales tactics used by MK and the directors to get you to join, buy inventory, etc. But if you can keep your head about you, it is possible. However, the rah-rah is hard to avoid getting wrapped up in.
The whole “opportunity” is not based on rational business tactics, plain and simple. I’ve spent years listening to those who want to boil it down to the weakness of women for failing or them not “doing their research.” It just is such a small part of the story. You can research all you want but it’s hard to avoid all of the hype. And most women want to succeed so they will do what their mentors tell them without much questioning.
It’s not such a simple solution to just say do your research. If it were, then MK would be in the toilet.
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LJ, I think you have a point. However, I think having a website such as yours is definitely a tool that will help keep “noobies” level-headed and greatly helps to resist those emotional and sales tactics. When I posted that this site keeps me level-headed, I meant it. I mentioned in one of my posts that I do get a happy tingle, when I do something right and its recognized at the meetings ( I think its normal..I would be happy at any job when a success is recognized.) But, as you know I’m on here a lot, and that helps tremendously! For example, I’m very close to being a “star.” But I can promise you that if that doesn’t happen based on sales, that I won’t pony up the rest of the money myself. WHY? Because I’ve been warned extensively on this site not to. I’ve taken it to heart.
So, I guess it boils down to this…. in addition to research…. know youself. I happen to know that I’m the type that has never felt the desire to be in with the crowd. I’ve never felt the need to compete with the Jones’ and have the coolest car, biggest house…etc. This was so even in my teen years. My definition of success is that I raise the happiest kids I can, and that I have a solid marriage. I see this as a plus in this business. I want some extra income, but not the goals that say my sales director wants me to have. I’m also so not bothered when someone says “no, thank you,” to the product. I just have that type of personality. A lot rolls off my back. This isn’t the case for some of my friends and family, and if they were to ask me about the opportunity then I would tell them so.
It also helps to have someone that you can partner up with. I have a friend in our unit with which I can discuss things..both the good and the bad. We team up with small orders, we share our inventories..etc, etc.
Also, recognize the power that your website has had in alerting us to the pitfalls. It’s doing its job. A damn good one. I almost always see something that makes me think…truly think..and analyze where I fit (if at all) in that comment. Another point to keep in mind which falls in with research is to know your finances. Keep in mind that you may lose the starter kit investment, the 10% the company won’t pay, the shipping for sending the product back, the insurance on the package, and the business supplies. Can you afford to lose that?
OH and lastly…. never forget that its OK to quit. Never lose sight of that, like I said before, it would be the end of a “career” selling make up. That is truly a trivial thing in life, it’s not failing at cancer research. Your life and the world will go on.
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Lunamom,
The following statement of yours stuck out to me and is worded in a way that implies it’s directed to some of the members here:
“OH and lastly…. never forget that its OK to quit. Never lose sight of that, like I said before, it would be the end of a “career” selling make up. That is truly a trivial thing in life, it’s not failing at cancer research. Your life and the world will go on.”
I’m not even sure what to say in response to this right now. I’m going to have to tread lightly as I felt that this was a personal jab towards those that have strong feelings against Mary Kay. No, it’s not “cancer research”, it’s selling make up and yes, of course it’s ok to quit. I know I for one have absoloutely no regrets about quitting; I have regrets that I started Mary Kay in the first place believing that I could make some extra money.
My reason for being here is not because I have not been able to move on with my life and it’s definitely not because I feel like a failure. The reason I am here is because I believe that the majority of women in Mary Kay are NOT going to be able to make money. If you feel that you are currently making enough of a profit in your Mary Kay business for the efforts you’ve been putting forth then power to ya, but I, personally feel that Mary Kay is a waste of time for EVERYONE.
Do you honestly think that I didn’t do my research? Do you think that I didn’t love the products, do you think I didn’t believe in them? Do you think that I didn’t educate myself on the products I was selling? Do you think that I was just a poor sales woman? Do you think that I made poor business decisions? Do you think that I let myself fall for the hype?…….. If so, you are sadly mistaken!
I was no different than you. I even came here and read this site while I was active in Mary Kay just as you have been doing. The only difference is that I didn’t post here while I was active. I knew that I was taking a risk doing Mary Kay because of this website and I also used it as a tool to keep me “level-headed”, but I knew that in the event that it didn’t work out for me it wasn’t my place to post my positive experiences (yes, I too would have had positives to share) here. I was determined to do Mary Kay. I am a very bright, intelligent woman and I was stubborn in proving that I could make the business work for me, my way, but it didn’t. I strongly believe that it CAN’T work. But, again, that’s just my opinion.
Ugh! I don’t know what else to say. *palm to forhead, shaking head*
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trudie, sometimes it feels like we are beating our heads against a wall, but sometimes people have to learn for themselves, everyone who joined MK felt they would be successful or they would not have joined, sadly there are more who have not succeeded than those who have.
I’m with you though, no regrets on leaving MK, it was the best choice I ever made in MK and when I taped the last box up and shipped it to MK, I felt such a relief! It was the most liberating thing I have ever done outside of my faith. Life is good, it does go on and it gets better as every year passes.
Do I wish I had never decided to join, MK? Yes, but I don’t blame myself, beat myself up or think I was incredibly stupid or foolish. I had pink stars in my eyes and the path was not clear…that is why I continue to post on this site, so that others can clear the pink stars and avoid the pitfalls of getting all excited and making an emotional rather than a clear-headed decision.
trudie, don’t you ever think of leaving again, I will come after you! You are such a level headed, calm influence on this site. Unlike the shoot from the hip, think later redhead!
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LOL, Lipstick! “Shoot from the hip.” I have to admit that I felt like that’s what I was doing in my last post. I even debated for a while on whether I should even submit that comment because I thought it may have come across the wrong way. It’s not a good time of the month for me to go head-to-head in any confrontations as I tend to get a little “dramatic” (quoting my husband) about things.
Lunamom, I know that if you are anything like I was, you will continue to do Mary kay for as long as you see fit despite the information and warnings on this site. I want you to know that I fully respect that decision…. But I will continue to give my input when I feel it is needed.
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Trudie, Please be aware that I am not trying ever to personally jab anyone. I am really sorry if it came across that way. I said what I said because I have read about some who stated that they stuck with it because of the emotional manipulation of some SD even when the debt was staring them in the face. Some of the women who have posted here said that they were made to feel guilty and like failures for even considering quiting. Like you, I post thoughts and ideas that come to me in hopes that they help someone. And some people are in different places in the MK (or MLM) road. Some are considering to start…when something pops in my head that is useful, then I post. Some are happy to leave…I’ll post what I think might be helpful. Some (and it is apparent that it doesn’t apply to you) are feeling ambivalence about quitting because of the emotional jabs that they are getting either by their SD or their unit as a whole. I posted what I thought would be helpful to THEM. They are simply in a different place than you or I. I hope that helps them. This was actually directed at the comment that LJ said
“You can do the research, but you will be hard pressed to avoid the deliberate emotional tactics and sales tactics used by MK and the directors to get you to join, buy inventory, etc.” This emotional manipulation is apparently still happening and so I hope that if someone reads my simple statement that says its ok to quit, then like you they will move on and be happy.
Trudie I want to address something you said…you stated this:
Do you honestly think that I didn’t do my research? Do you think that I didn’t love the products, do you think I didn’t believe in them? Do you think that I didn’t educate myself on the products I was selling? Do you think that I was just a poor sales woman? Do you think that I made poor business decisions? Do you think that I let myself fall for the hype?…….. If so, you are sadly mistaken!
Let me just state adamantly and unequivocably that I don’t believe ANY of those things about you. You have always come across as an intelligent woman that feels strongly on the MK issue. Same as Lipstick, same as LJ, and same as Ashley. I’m ok with that. I respect your choices and opinions just like you respect my decision to try MK for myself. Ultimately, we’re both on this site to try to help others. I don’t lose sight of that.
Bottom line is that I’m not stupid, or a kaybot, or blinded by pink koolaid…or any of those things that sometimes are very deliberately aimed at active consultants like me. I just don’t want to live with a ”what if” in my life. Bottom line is that you are NOT “lazy, not working your biz, bitter, negative..blah, blah, blah..” You simply don’t think MK is feasible for anyone. So where does that leave us? It just leaves us as two people at different points that want to help others. The comments I make are with that in mind.
I also wanted to address that I feel sometimes that it upsets you when I post the positives. However, I think that if I post just negatives then I’d be labeled (like some have labeled you) as a Negative Nellie…..If I post just the positives then I’m a Kaybot….So guess what, how about I post both and just state MY truth as it happens.
Lipstick said that some people just have to learn for themselves. That is true. So the only thing that you and I can do is to put the information out there and state our opinions and experiences. I think that you and I are alike in that we will leave the judging to others.
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Lunamom said:
“Ultimately, we’re both on this site to try to help others.”
and
“So the only thing that you and I can do is to put the information out there and state our opinions and experiences.”
and
“I also wanted to address that I feel sometimes that it upsets you when I post the positives.”
Lunamom, again I would like to state that I have absolutly nothing against you, personally, but I have to address these statements you have made.
Yes, it does upset me and it even offends me a bit that Ashley and yourself insist on posting the positives on this site. To me it is clear that you are trying in a way to “win over” those that are on the fence about starting a career with Mary Kay. I don’t believe that there is anything wrong with putting the positives about Mary Kay out there, but there are so many other places that you could go to do that.
No, we are not here for the same reasons. If the goal of this site is steer people away from doing Mary Kay or any MLM for that matter then I don’t believe that you are helping others here. You are contradicting what this site is about.
It’s great that you have positives to share and as I was trying to get across in my last post, I would have had some really great experiences to post as well, but I knew that this was not the place for it. Knowing what I do now about the Mary Kay opportunity, I’m so glad that I didn’t come here and post every time I had a party with great sales or manage to get one of my facial boxes set up in a hotel, hair salon or day spa. If in the event that anyone were to have come here, read my positive outlook on my business and decided to start selling Mary Kay based on that, I would be horrified now.
I know it must be hard for you to understand why I have such strong feelings about this and it may even make me seem to be a little bitter or negative. I think you know that as long as you continue to post your positives here, I will continue to counter them. And I know from my experience and research involving Mary Kay that for pretty much every positive you bring to our attention, I will have at least three counters. In reality that’s just the way it is. The Mary Kay business plan doesn’t work. Period.
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“The Mary Kay business plan doesn’t work. Period. ”
You mean for you…cause it is working for me.
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Pfffftttt…… LOL!!! Prove it!
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Is that the only thing that you “got” out of my post Ashley?
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Well Trudie, there is much to discuss and talk about…However, let me begin by stating that I don’t take your comments as a personal attack and please I can’t state emphatically enough that I do not have any intention of disrespecting anyone.
Here goes….
You stated the following:
Yes, it does upset me and it even offends me a bit that Ashley and yourself insist on posting the positives on this site. To me it is clear that you are trying in a way to “win over” those that are on the fence about starting a career with Mary Kay. I don’t believe that there is anything wrong with putting the positives about Mary Kay out there, but there are so many other places that you could go to do that.
I think I’ve addressed this in some of my previous posts (as to why I’ve chosen this site). I have posted my positives because that is the truth for me. Also, I think that you are prematurely assuming that I won’t or haven’t had negatives to post. I’ve been a consultant for 3 1/2 months. I’ve had a few negatives and I’ve posted them too (have you read them?) If you have read them, then it seems to me that you are disregarding the fact that I have indeed posted negatives.
You also state that I’m trying to win people over. No, I’m not. period. I have every faith that if someone reads this site, that they will be able to make-up their own minds. It would be condescending to the extreme if I were to assume that they can’t make up their own minds. Trudie…they can and they will. Just like I did. Also keep in mind that you stated that you started reading this site while you were active. This states to me that you didn’t quit immediately, so again you made your own choices on your own timeframe.
You also stated the following:
No, we are not here for the same reasons. If the goal of this site is steer people away from doing Mary Kay or any MLM for that matter then I don’t believe that you are helping others here. You are contradicting what this site is about.
In the about page, it states that this site is about answering questions and uncovering truths. It also states that this site welcomes all opinions whether they are contradicting or not.
The intentions of our posts are the same whether you believe it or not. Your intent is to help people by steering them as far as you possibly can from MLM’s. My goal is to help people by offering another story for them to read….to take what they will and utilize it in making their own decision. You may not agree with how I am trying to help, but I think I have made my intentions clear and yes they are to help..nothing more. Also, I just like being able to openly discuss my experience for no other reason than its enjoyable.
Trudie, you also stated the following:
If in the event that anyone were to have come here, read my positive outlook on my business and decided to start selling Mary Kay based on that, I would be horrified now.
Please, lets be realistic. When I came on this site and decided to try MK, I didn’t read just one story. Is that really all that its going to take for someone to join? I don’t believe so. I came here and I have been engrossed trying to read as much as I can. Lipstick has admitted to the same, as has Ashley and obviously many given that I’ve seen some of the same names on the forum. I trust that people who are savvy enough to read this site are going to read many stories and base their decision only in part to those stories. There are many things that most people will consider when deciding to start(or not!) any MLM. Their emotions, their finances, whether or not they like their recruiter, the opinions of their family…etc.etc. We are in truth only a small piece of the puzzle.
Trudie, you lastly posted the following:
I think you know that as long as you continue to post your positives here, I will continue to counter them. And I know from my experience and research involving Mary Kay that for pretty much every positive you bring to our attention, I will have at least three counters. In reality that’s just the way it is. The Mary Kay business plan doesn’t work. Period.
My response in regard to that comment is this. Please continue to do so! I enjoy seeing the counters that you bring up. I don’t discount them, I welcome them as something that I may have missed considering. However, you do realize that someone out there will say that they can counter your counters. (lol) I also hope that you don’t discount the opposing point of view that I may present to your counters. Chances are that I will have at least some.
You have asked that Ashley and I remain open to hearing the negatives that will be posted on this site. I think we have and I certain will continue to do so.
Ashley and I have made every attempt to prove that we are successful and happy in our venture, I ask that you don’t discount that as an impossibility. Because it’s not.
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No comment. For real though, this is just rediculous! I honestly don’t know why I’ve been wasting my time. The phrase, “beating a dead horse” would be the closest way of explaining how I am feeling at the moment. Quite frankly, I refuse to write any more at the moment because I may say something I regret.
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